Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) seeks funding to plan and formally establish the Center for Translational Science to be supported by an Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award. The present application builds on established strengths in matrix centers involved in clinical and translational research and brings together the energy and expertise of investigators and practitioners across 10 health and life sciences schools and throughout the community. Within the University, the Center for Translational Science will provide the necessary longitudinal networking, culture, and infrastructure for identifying promising discoveries made in the laboratory, testing them in animals, and developing trials and studies for humans. Partnerships with foundations and industry will be crucial to moving these discoveries to the clinic. At the same time, mutually beneficial partnerships with community practitioners, community organizations, and patients themselves will enhance the adoption of evidence-based best practices in general clinical practice and thus deliver improved medical care to the region. The Center for Translational Science will offer a corridor in which all these participants in the translational research continuum can meet, interact, and advance each others' missions. Specifically, we propose to use the planning period to assess the specific cultural changes that must be articulated and addressed related to health system policies, competing priorities in clinical services and research, extant degree programs, community trust, and integration of physically and philosophically distinct health profession schools; establish comprehensive educational and training programs in translational research (summer program, certificate program, master's program, doctoral program, T32, K12) for students, housestaff, faculty, and community practitioners; and develop a research incubator that serves as the physical location for courses and training, longitudinal planning and submission services and communication resources to VCU investigators. A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the University President, Provost, Vice Presidents, and Deans confirms their collective commitment to establishing and maintaining the Center for Translational Science and to collaborating on the elimination of barriers to successful clinical and translational research. Formal process and summative evaluation will ensure that planning milestones are met in preparation for submission of the U54 proposal. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]